San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-03-07
APHANIOM BRIDE.
By the Author of "THR Ice OAR
NIvAL."

ming well-nIgn barefoot about the Lon
don streets.
Whilst, certes, it implied a still more
powerful strain upon the imagination
to conceive blind and inscrutable fate
leading haphaZard to Dicks own door
step, in the guise of a wretched little
wait, the small friendless being whose
destinies, it seemed not improbable,
tangled with his own; for once Sir JAS
per's grandchild was restored to her
rightful place in the baronet's heart and
home, Dick could not conceal from
himself that the future of that repen-
tant sire's godson must inevitably be
regarded from very different stand
point to that Of heretofore.
With this reflection uppermost in his
thoughts, Dick laZily Enclosed his
sleepy eyes, doubtful for one infinitesi-
NAL breathing-space whether he might
credit the evidence of his own senses
and believe himself wide awake, or
whether, on the other hand, he had not
unconsciously strayed beyond the mys-
tic boundary line into the land Of
nod.
Was he, in good sooth, awake or
slumberingp Was it in dreamland that
he beheldF Or
Mol thousand times mol He could
no longer doubt OF question. He saw
distinctly saw-at this very moment, a
small white face without In the gloam-
ing, pressed against the window pane;
and smothering the exclamation which
rose up inv0luntarily to his lips, Dick
sprang hastily to his feet, and in less
time than it takes me to narrate the
fact, dashed across the floor, flung wide
the heavy easement, and, without paus-
ing to ponder or reflect, cleared the
broad old-fashioned window-seat at
bound, alighting on his feet upon the
gravel walk beyond.
All yes, to be sure, to the right Of
him, already some dozen yards in ad-
vance, he, she or 1.-THE knew not which
sped feet as hunted hare or mountain
elk over the frozen snow. A 1.-the sup
pie figure, weird enough in nondescript
garments, and with unkempt locks
streaming in the wintry blast as it tore
EDWARDS through the night.
All, but it might not-should not
elude him longl In few moments, at
latest, he must gain on his prey, and
grasp as In vice. with all the strength
and power of his manhood, the mis-
chievous cause of infinite trouble; for
Dick no longer doubted that he saw be-
fore him in the flesh the much-talked-of
Burnham Wrath, a mOmentary glance
having served to convince him that the
face peering in at the library window
was identically the same as had startled
the occupants of the vicarage parlor on
that hencefOrth ever memorable Christ
mas Eve. And now he came to think of
it, the entire figure struck him as sin
gularly familiar, considering how limit
ed in both instances had been his OppOr-
tunities Of observation.
But rounding the angle Of the terrace,
darting behind laurel bushes, EDWARDS,
UPWARDS through the frosty cleaning
the figure makes its way; and on comes
Dick, gaining steadily upon the object
of pursuit, rejecting the while, with
grim smile, that whatever the supernat-
ural endowments of the ghost, it is yet
singularly deficient in length of limb,
and consequently all too heavily handi-
capped In this race against his own
three-leagued boots upon which it has
been constrained to enter, sadly against
its will, All, surely it Is very mortal
now, In its Tagging pace, its uncertain
gait, its hating stumbling movements,
It's half-frenzied, appealing, backward
glance !. premonitory symptoms OF
standstill.
For Dick is close upon the little fig
ure now, which HIS stopped so sudden
~ that velocity well-nigh carried him
past it. 1t is only by desperate effort
he pulls himself up in time.
Even then, as his hand is out
stretched, ''itn hobs and doubles, seek
ing to execute a skilful retrograde
movement beneath his very elbow; but
he has gripped it by the shoulder mex
Orably at last.
mo you don't, youngsterl" his own
breath well-nigh spent, he articulates
with difficulty; his voice is shaken, his
words disjOinted, as he glances down,
for tho first time. into the averted face